Assessing thermal hazards of reaction mixtures

A strategy for assessing thermal hazards of chemical manufacturing processes is presented with an emphasis on new developments in the areas of the desired and decomposition reaction research. In the case of the desired reaction, the application of a computer program, CAMEO, for assessing synthetic reaction pathways, and enthalpies, and for evaluating the chemistry of specific failure modes is demonstrated. For the decomposition reaction, an unexpected decomposition destabilization phenomenon in mixtures was observed, which clearly demonstrated the need for chemical/solvent mixture testing to provide reliable thermochemical data for reaction hazard assessment. An application of the reaction mixture hazard evaluation strategy to a chemical process is presented.The authors would like to thank P. R. Kingsley for carrying out the experimental work necessary to complete this project. The authors also wish to acknowledge the support of Eastman Kodak Company in the preparation of this study.